10 Truly Disturbing Behind-The-Scenes Movie Facts
9. The Actor Who Played The Tin Man In Wizard Of Oz Was Hospitalised Due To Silver Makeup
The Wizard of Oz might be the last movie you'd suspect of harbouring dark behind the scenes secrets, given how much of a joyous cultural sensation it was and continues to be.
The filming of the 1939 classic was no picnic for Jack Haley, who portrayed The Tin Man. The makeup used for his costume was an aluminium paste, which continuously seeped into his eyes and eventually caused an infection.
Haley was given the role after Buddy Ebsen dropped out of the project after realising that the makeup they used for his rendition of the character (aluminium powder) was slowly killing him. It triggered a congenital bronchial condition that made him seriously ill and led to him being hospitalised and therefore unable to continue shooting.
The makeup was altered for Haley when he replaced Ebsen but that still didn't stop him from enduring an eye infection that forced him to undergo surgical treatment.